Hydraulic press



Oct. 15, 1929. n. H. w. FELCH. 1,731,891

HYDRAULI C PRES 5 Filed May 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O0 O0 00 OO O O I NVEN TOR. QM 1d, w-moa BY A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 15, 1929. D. H. w. FELCH HYDRAULIC PRESS Filed May 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 atented o r. 15, 1929 ITE D STATES DON H. W. FELCH, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'OR TO THE RICHARDSON COMPANY, OF LOCKLAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO HYDRAULIC PRESS Application filed May 11, 1926. Serial No. 108,388.

My invention relates to hydraulic presses generally and particularly to heavy duty hydraulic presses such as are suitable for molding battery boxes and similarly molded articles.

It is the object of my invention to provide in heavy duty presses for a control system which greatly simplifies the operation and increases the speed with which a heavy duty press having a plurality of hydraulic rams may be operated. A further object is the provision of improvements in presses employing molds, the general type of which is fully described in the pending application of Robert Holz, Serial Number 635,548,

' filed April 30, 1923. The molds referred to have a female part, a stripper plate adapted to fit within the top of the female part and a plungerelement adapted to extend through apertures in the stripper plate into the female mold. The male mold of plunger part is carried by a reciprocating ram .moving in fixed vertical alignment. The stripper plate which is also movable in fixed vertical alignment requires a member to limit its upward stroke. In the improved hydraulic press which I have provided for the purpose of molding battery boxes I have as one of my objects the incorporation of features which will make the adjustment of the female mold to the fixed line of movement of the male mold a simple operation. I also contemplate the disposal of arms within the press to limit the upward movement of the stripper plate. I further have as one of my important objects the provision of guide rails Figure 3 is a top plan view of the press shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 1s a horizontal section along the lines 4-4 Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the clamp 5 of my preferred type for aligning the female mold shown in enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the clamp shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a wedge member which may be used in combination with the clamp to secure the female mold in position subsequent to its alignment.

Generally indicated at 1, I have shown the frame which supports the press. The units 1n the press consist in an upper cylinder2 havlng a ram 3, which with the application of hydraulic pressure through the pipe 4 (shown inFigure 2) is moved upwardly. Secured to the upper ram 3 is avertically movable frame having rods 5 which extend from the top of the press down to ahead 6, which is preferably permanently secured to the ram 7 of the lower hydraulic chamber 8. The lower ram 7 moves the head 6 downwardly with the application of hydraulic pressure through the pipe 9, which is connected with a three way valve 9 so that fluid under pressure in one position of the three way valve 9 will pass from the hydraulic supply pipe 10 into the lower chamber 8. With the movement of the handle 11 of the three way valve to another position, the fluid within the hydraulic chamber. 8 will be exhausted into a drain line 12. The mechanical construction of the rams and their operative relation is not new, but for purposes of greatly increasing the number ofcompression strokes for a pressing operation, I have found that by having a valveless connection to the upper cylinder from the hydraulic line, I am able to provide sufiicient pressure, because of a greatly increased ratio of ram area, to lower the lower ram with the upper chamber not exhausted and under the initial hydraulic pressure. Any displacement of liquid under pressure from the upper chamber during the operation of lowering the lower ram, causes a discharge back into the supply pipe 10. As soon as the three way valve is turned so as to discharge the liquid 1 parted by by raulic pressure.

from the lower chamber into the drain line 12', the'upper piston 3, immediately raises the lower head which carries the male mold. I have but to turn the three way valve to release the pressure in the lower chamber and the lower head is quickly raised by the pressure in the upper chamber. There is no waste of the pressure fluid displaced'from the cylinder 2 by the ram 3 during the lowering of the head 6, since this fluid is still under pressure. Subsequent to the raising of the head 6, the compressed fluid will be free to flow through the pipe 4 or the ,valve 9* and pipe'9. A further matter of importance in the operation of molding battery boxes with such a press, is that by obtaining a quick release for the upward stroke,I am usually able to carry the molded box out of the female mold with the upward movement ofthe stripper plate and male mold, so that no additional step is required to force the molded battery box up out of the female mold.

The lower head 6 which, as has been noted, carries the male mold and stripping plate in the process of molding battery boxes, has engaging portions which slide in vertical guide elements 14 mounted on the frame of the press. In order to align these guide elements with the line of movement of the reciprocating ram, I set the guides in aceordancewith the actual line of movement of the plunger. I place the guide elements in position engaging the head 6, and then operate the ram. I brace the guide elements -so that they appear to smoothly engage the head 6 throughout the length of the stroke and I then pour melted soft metal 15 into the space between the guides 14 and the frame 1, which when it solidifies will maintain the guides in their initially set position. The guides then provide horizontal thrust bearings for the bottom head which. greatly reduces the likelihood of wear on the operating parts of the press and molds; and insures close registry between the moving male and fixed female portions of the molds, thereby greatly increasing the possible speed of operation.

Extending a c ross between the sides of the frame, approximately as'shown in Figure 1, I securely fasten knock off bars as .indicated at'16, so that with the raising of the stripping plate its upward movement is thereby limited. I

. The fixed platen 17, may be pierced by a ram to which u ward movement may be 1m may be used to eject the molded battery box from the female mold. It has been found in actual practice that this ram is seldom re quired to eject a molded battery box, since the male mold element usually carries the' box with it when withdrawn from the femalemold.

As the male mold moves in'a fixed line, it is, essential that means beprovided for ac- This ram" another. I have, therefore, provided a fixed base platen 17, with clamps 17 made as illustrated in 4, 5 and 6. The clamps are formed of plates having ledges 18, which are positioned to face inwardly. Bolts 19, extending through holes 20 in the plate, may be employed to secure the plates to the base platen. Set screws 21 mounted in threaded holes 22 extending horizontall through the plates, bear against the fema e mold. The set screws, therefore, provide a simple and eflicient way of making slight adjustments for incorrect alignment. The female mold has cooperating ledges which are slidably engaged under the ledges 18. The clamps are then tightened down by means of bolts 19, and any slight additional adjustments are made with the set screws 21. After the female molds are accurately set with relation to the line of movement of the male mold, their positive securing in adjusted position may be insured by inserting the wedges 23 which have a width equivalent to the width of the ledges 18 between the cooperating ledges of the clamps and the mold.

My clamping mechanism is thus capable of fine adjustment which reduces the likeliment to a minimum. It will be obvious that the improvements which I have provided inhydraulic presses will suggest many modifications which .will accomplish the same functions with no more change than would readily occur to a skilled mechanic.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A heavy duty hydraulic press for compressing material in a mold having a mold carrying head operatively connected with two oppositely movable hydraulic rams having ram areas of different sizes, said rams within hydraulic cylinders, and means for controlling the operation of the press comprising a unitary source of supply of fluid under pressure with an open pipe to that one of said cylinders having the smallest ram area and a pipe from the source'of supply under pressure to that cylinder having the largest ram area, a discharge pipe connected with said last named pipe and a three way valve at the branch connection of 2. In a heavy duty hydraulic press for.

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till fill , weasel compressing moldable material in a mold, a head connected with a hydraulically movable member, said head adapted to carry a male mold and held in fixed alignment, a frame supporting said press, a base platen for supporting a female mold, and clamping means and adjusting means for clamping and adjusting the position of the female mold with relation to the fixed line of movement of said head carrying said male mold, said clamping means comprising fixed clamps with adjusting means extended therefrom.

3. ln a heavy duty hydraulic press for compressing moldable material in a mold, a

r head connected with a hydraulically movable member, said head adapted to carry 'a male mold and held in fixed alignment, a frame supporting said press, a base platen for supporting a female mold, clamps and adjusting means for adjusting the position of the female mold with relation to the fixed line of movement of said head carrying said male mold, said adjusting means adapted to bear against a female mold and said clamps provided with ledges for slidably engaging protruding portions of a female mold.

4. ln a heavy duty hydraulic press for compressing moldable material in a mold, a head connected with a hydraulically movable member, said head adapted to carry a male mold and held in fixed alignment, a frame supporting said press, a base platen for supporting a female mold, adjusting means for adjusting the position of the female mold with relation to the fixed line of movement of said head carrying said male mold, said adjusting means adapted to bear against a female mold,

and clamps provided with ledges for slidably.

engaging protruding portionsiof a female mold, said adjusting means operatively connected with said clamps. i

5. In a heavy duty hydraulic press for compressing moldable material in a mold, a head connected with a hydraulically movable member, said head adapted to carry a male mold and held in fixed alignment, a frame supporting said press, a base platen for supporting a female mold, means for adjusting the position of the fenfile mold with relation to the fixed line of movement of said head carrying said male mold, said adjusting means adapted to bear against a female mold, and clamps provided with ledges for slidably engagin protruding portions of a female mold, sai

adjusting means operatively connected with said clamps, and wedges having a width of no more than the width of the ledge portions for locking said clamps and said protruding portions of said female mold in adjusted position DON H. W. FELOH. 

